KROQ brings eclectic mix of bands to annual show
By Daily Bruin Staff
Jan. 7, 2001 9:00 p.m.
 MINDY ROSS/Daily Bruin Senior Staff No Doubt frontwoman
Gwen Stefani keeps the crowd under control at
KROQ’s Almost Acoustic Christmas at the Universal Amphitheatre.
By Chris Moriates
Daily Bruin Contributor
There was very little that was acoustic or Christmas about it,
but KROQ’s Almost Acoustic Christmas delivered big names and
a full-blown rock show for the 11th year in a row. It was a concert
on steroids, weighing in with 10 bands and more than five hours of
entertainment.
The show returned to the 6,200-seat Universal Amphitheatre for
two nights, Dec. 16 and 17, with a different lineup each night.
KROQ was able to outdo themselves once again, bringing together the
hard rock of bands like Deftones, Incubus and Papa Roach with the
ska-influenced pop of No Doubt, the techno-flavored eclectic sound
of Moby, the catchy hooks of Weezer, and the punk of Green Day on
the same rotating stage.
The magic of the show was that most of the 10 bands brought
together on the bill could easily sell out the intimate
amphitheatre on their own.
The first night opened with the possessed, exhaustingly
energetic stage antics of At The Drive-In. The band’s Michael
Jackson dance moves, ’70s-style afros, full acrobatic
maneuvers and early-’90s grunge destruction lent to its
incomparable stage show.
Also performing on the first night were bands Fuel, Coldplay and
Three Doors Down, who, after complaining about the quality
of the sound, performed two songs and then chucked the
microphone against the wall and stormed off stage. This behavior,
from a band too young to behave like Axl Rose, brought strong
“boos” from the crowd and a stern word from KROQ
personality Stryker, who helped MC the event.
Stryker took a shot at the band’s act when he proclaimed
that No Doubt’s Gwen Stefani “is the only girl on the
bill besides Three Doors Down.”
 KEITH ENRIQUEZ/Daily Bruin Senior Staff Brandon
Boyd‘s vocals are backed up by an 11-piece string section
during Incubus’ set at the sold-out KROQ concert. Incubus saved the
day when the stage finally rotated to reveal an 11-piece string
arrangement joined by the Calabasas native band on acoustic
instruments. Incubus performed a heartfelt set that displayed the
musical intricacies of its new album, “Make Yourself,”
and provided a special moment as they put the
“acoustic” back in Almost Acoustic Christmas, and also
proved that its music can work in many different settings. The only
thing that its set lacked was older material, playing only songs
from its newest and most popular album.
The energetic Moby transformed the amphitheatre into a dance
hall, as the crowd could not resist the infectious dance beats. The
highlight of his set was when Stefani came onstage to perform the
hit duet “Southside.”
Following Moby was the melodic Deftones, who delivered a solid
set, with band member Chino jumping on top of the security
barricade and paying a lot of attention to the fans in the front of
the amphitheatre.
As the night continued and the $5 beers were consumed, the crowd
began to really loosen up, just in time for Weezer’ s
performance. The band had the crowd at fever pitch as over 6,000
people danced in the aisles and sang along to favorites “Say
It Ain’t So,” “Buddy Holly,” and
“Surfwax America.”
Contrasting from the serious rock of the Deftones, came the
carefree energy of Orange County’s own No Doubt. The band
dressed in festive plaid clothing, opened with the punk rock
holiday classic “Oi To The World” and closed with snow
falling from the ceiling. It provided a party-like attitude to the
event.
The first night seemed to lack any real closer, as Papa Roach
did its best to provide the grand finale, but with only one album
that came out a few short months ago, it just seemed to blend in
with all of the other performances. Making a complete lap of the
theatre, singer Colby Dick did what he could to be dramatic,
running through the aisles as screaming fans rushed to join him and
even sneak a quick picture.
The second night solved the problem of not having a show closer
by featuring none other than the punk band Green Day.
The second night opened with UCLA alumni Brad Delson’s
band, Linkin Park, which won over the crowd with its sincere
excitement. Linkin Park was followed by Disturbed and Everclear,
along with near identical performances from Incubus, Moby,
Deftones, Weezer, No Doubt, and Papa Roach.
Green Day arrived in grand fashion to the sound of Frank
Sinatra’s “My Way.” Its entrance was perfectly
fitting because singer Billy Joe Armstrong was determined that he
was going to do it his way as he led the crowd in chants and even a
wave.
“This is my show and we are gonna play as long as we
want,” Armstrong said.
Green Day played a long set that featured hit pop songs ranging
from its breakthrough album “Dookie” to its new release
“Warning,” along with stories and drunken antics from
the rambunctious front man.
Drummer Tre Cool trashed his drum set in true rock fashion,
impaling his floor tom on one of the microphone stands, but then
Green Day surprised the audience again. They performed another song
amid the destruction before finally ending the Almost Acoustic
Christmas season.
The music stopped, the constant plugs for the event on KROQ
ceased, the amphitheatre emptied, and all that was left was that
other annual holiday event: Christmas.
